U.S. patent application number 10/011674 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-25 for apparatus for treating objects.
This patent application is currently assigned to Leica Microsystems Nussloch GmbH. Invention is credited to Dalkidis, Charilaos, Eckert, Ralf, Kuenkel, Stefan, Thiem, Stefan.
Application Number | 20020098118 10/011674 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7660749 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020098118 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Eckert, Ralf ; et
al. |
July 25, 2002 |
Apparatus for treating objects
Abstract
An apparatus for treating objects, in particular cytological or
histological specimens, having multiple processing stations (2) and
a transport device (4) for delivering the objects into and out of
the processing stations (2), the processing station (2) comprising
a container (3) for receiving liquids, in particular reagents, and
for immersion of the objects or of the object holders (7) carrying
the objects, is characterized, in order to increase the flexibility
of the apparatus, in that an insert (8) that fits into the
container (3) and reduces the maximum capacity of the container (3)
is provided, a rack (7) that carries the object carrier (9) and
serves for immersion into the container (3) being adapted in terms
of its dimensions in accordance with the remaining volume.
Inventors: |
Eckert, Ralf; (Dossenheim,
DE) ; Dalkidis, Charilaos; (Schwetzingen, DE)
; Kuenkel, Stefan; (Karlsruhe, DE) ; Thiem,
Stefan; (Heidelberg, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SIMPSON & SIMPSON, PLLC
5555 MAIN STREET
WILLIAMSVILLE
NY
14221-5406
US
|
Assignee: |
Leica Microsystems Nussloch
GmbH
Nussloch
DE
|
Family ID: |
7660749 |
Appl. No.: |
10/011674 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
422/65 ; 422/400;
436/174 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01N 35/0099 20130101;
G01N 1/31 20130101; G01N 2001/315 20130101; Y10T 436/25
20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
422/65 ; 422/104;
436/174 |
International
Class: |
G01N 035/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 23, 2000 |
DE |
100 52 503.2 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In an apparatus for treating objects, in particular for
cytological or histological specimens, having multiple processing
stations (2) and a transport device (4) for delivering said objects
into and out of said processing stations (2), each of said multiple
processing stations (2) comprising a container (3) for receiving
liquid reagents, and for immersion of said objects or of a rack (7)
carrying a plurality of said objects, the improvement comprising:
an insert (8) that fits into said container (3), said insert (8)
reducing the maximum capacity of said container (3); and said rack
(7) being sized for receipt by said reduced maximum capacity of
said container (3).
2. The improvement as recited in claim 1, wherein said insert (8)
is designed for suspension within said container (3).
3. The improvement as recited in claim 1, wherein said insert (8)
is designed for placement into said container (3).
4. The improvement as recited in claim 1, wherein said insert (8)
comprises at least one reduced reagent vessel (10) and positioning
means (11) for securing said insert (8) within said container
(3).
5. The improvement as recited in claim 4, wherein said positioning
means (11) positions said reagent vessel (10) approximately
centered in said container (3).
6. The improvement as recited in claim 5, wherein said positioning
means (11) includes a pair of flanges (13) that extend from said
reagent vessel for engagement with a pair of opposing surfaces of
an inner wall (12) of said container (3).
7. The improvement as recited in claim 5, wherein said positioning
means (11) includes a pair of opposite outer walls of said insert
(8) that engage a pair of opposing surfaces of an inner wall (12)
of said container (3).
8. The improvement as recited in claim 4, wherein said container
(3) comprises guide means to accept said positioning means (11) of
said insert (8).
9. The improvement as recited in claim 1, wherein said rack (7)
comprises a reduced number of receiving positions (14) for said
plurality of objects.
10. The improvement as recited in claim 9, wherein said rack (7)
has a total number of said receiving positions (14) ranging from
three to eight.
11. The improvement as recited in claim 10, wherein said rack (7)
has a total number of said receiving positions (14) equal to
five.
12. The improvement as recited in claim 9, wherein said receiving
positions (14) hold a plurality of elongated object carriers
(9).
13. The improvement as recited in claim 9, wherein said receiving
positions (14) hold said object carriers (9) such that said object
carriers (9) can be immersed into said reagent vessel (10) with a
longitudinal axis of said object carrier in a vertical orientation.
reagent vessel (10) with a longitudinal axis of said object carrier
in a horizontal orientation.
15. The improvement as recited in claim 1, wherein said container
(3) is a conventional reagent station.
16. The improvement as recited in claim 1, wherein said container
(3) is a heated reagent station.
17. An apparatus for reducing the volume of a reagent container (3)
for treatment of specimens comprising: an insert (8) that fits into
said container (3), said insert (8) cooperating with said container
(3) to reduce the maximum capacity of said container (3), and said
insert (8) defining an opening for receiving a rack (7) by
immersion.
18. A method for reducing the volume of a reagent container (3) for
treatment of specimens comprising the steps of: (a) placing an
insert (8) into said containers (3), said insert (8) cooperating
with said container (3) to reduce maximum volume of said container
(3); and (b) immersing a plurality of said specimens into said
reduced volume of said container (3).
19. An apparatus for reducing the volume of a reagent container (3)
for treatment of specimens comprising: an insert (8) that reduces
the maximum capacity of said container (3) without preventing a
rack (7) from being immersed into said reagent.
20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19 wherein said insert (8)
includes a wall.
21. The apparatus as recited in claim 20 wherein said wall defines
a volume less than the maximum volume of said container (3), said
volume operatively arranged to receive said rack (7).
22. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein said insert (8)
further comprises at least one reduced reagent vessel (10) and
positioning means (11) for securing said insert (8) within said
container (3).
23. The improvement as recited in claim 22, wherein said
positioning means (11) positions said reagent vessel (10)
approximately centered in said container (3).
24. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said positioning
means (11) includes a pair of flanges (13) that extend from said
reagent vessel for engagement with a pair of opposing surfaces of
an inner wall (12) of said container (3).
25. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said positioning
means (11) includes a pair of opposite outer walls of said insert
(8) that engage a pair of opposing surfaces of an inner wall (12)
of said container (3).
26. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said container
(3) comprises guide means to accept said positioning means (11) of
said insert (8).
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This invention claims priority of the German patent
application 100 52 503.2 filed Oct. 23, 2000 which is incorporated
by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention concerns an apparatus for treating objects, in
particular cytological or histological specimens, having multiple
processing stations and a transport device for delivering the
objects into and out of the processing stations, the processing
station comprising a container for receiving liquids, in particular
reagents, and for immersion of the objects or of the object holders
carrying the objects.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Apparatuses of the generic type are known from a wide
variety of sectors. Very generally, they are apparatuses used for
the manipulation and/or processing of objects of any kind. The
objects are conveyed, usually in a predefined sequence, either to a
single processing station or to multiple processing stations,
processed therein, and then lastly transported away from the
processing station, in which context different groups of processing
stations can be arranged behind and/or next to one another.
[0004] The reader is referred, merely by way of example, to EP 0
849 582 A1. This document discloses an apparatus for treating
objects, in particular cytological or histological specimens. In
it, cytological or histological specimens are conveyed to an
automatic stainer by means of an object carrier or basket (often
also called a "rack" in technical terminology), the stainer
comprising multiple processing stations.
[0005] The known apparatus is problematic, however, in that the
processing stations are all equipped with containers of the same
size for receiving reagents. This is not a problem in the case of
standard staining operations, especially since using so-called
racks, object carriers carrying 20 to 30 objects are usually
immersed. A corresponding level of reagents is guaranteed in the
conventional containers. But if special staining operations using
complex and thus expensive reagents are to be performed, the use of
conventional containers to receive the reagents is problematic,
especially since object carriers carrying only a few objects
usually need to be immersed. Irrespective of this smaller number of
object carriers, however, the same quantity of liquid or reagent
must be made available in order to ensure proper immersion of the
object carriers. This is problematic given the high price of the
staining solutions, and not justifiable in terms of the resulting
costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is therefore the object of the present invention to
configure and develop an apparatus for treating objects, in
particular cytological or histological specimens, in such a way as
to make additionally possible, in particular, the treatment of
small numbers of objects at acceptable material cost.
[0007] The object is achieved by improving a generic apparatus for
treating objects, in particular cytological or histological
specimens, by providing an insert that fits into the container and
reduces the maximum capacity of the container, and adapting a rack
that carries the object carrier and serves for immersion into the
container in terms of its dimensions in accordance with the
remaining volume.
[0008] What has been recognized according to the present invention
is that the conventional containers can by all means be used even
if only a small number of object carriers need to be immersed into
the liquid. This situation is dealt with, according to the present
invention, by the fact that the maximum capacity of the container
is reduced, specifically by way of an insert that fits into the
container. Corresponding to the reduction in the capacity of the
container hereby achieved, the rack carrying the object carriers or
objects and serving for immersion into the container is adapted in
terms of its dimensions in accordance with the remaining volume in
the container. In other words, a very particular insert serves to
reduce the maximum capacity of the container, in which context it
must be ensured that the object carriers carrying the objects can
be completely immersed into the remaining volume of the container.
A modification of the container is thus created here, by which the
volume serving to receive reagents is reduced in such a way that
only a substantially smaller quantity of liquid or staining
solution is necessary. Material costs are thereby effectively
reduced. It is moreover possible, even with the reduced quantity of
staining solution, to use the same containers, specifically with a
corresponding insert.
[0009] Concretely, the insert could be configured as a displacement
body, so that it serves solely to reduce the volume of liquid. In
this context, the insert could be placed into the container or
suspended at its rim into the container.
[0010] In the context of a very particularly advantageous
embodiment, it is possible for the insert to comprise at least one
reduced reagent vessel and positioning means for secure immersion
into the container. In the context of such an embodiment, the
insert would be configured as a smaller container that can be
inserted, placed, or suspended into the larger container. The
positioning means provide a secure fit into the container so that
it cannot tilt therein and moreover is arranged at a defined point.
The container or the reagent vessel inserted therein could
correspondingly be loaded with a reduced number of object carriers
that are inserted into the reagent vessel via the transport device
and with the aid of the rack.
[0011] In the context of a particularly simple embodiment, the
positioning means are dimensioned and designed in such a way that
the reagent vessel can be positioned approximately centeredly in
the container. An at least slight jamming effect between the
positioning means and the inner wall of the container could be
brought about. It is also conceivable for the positioning means to
be configured as ribs, flanges, or the like that are at least
largely adapted to the inner wall of the container; in the context
of a further advantageous embodiment, the container can comprise
particular receptacles, guides, or the like for the positioning
means.
[0012] Be it noted at this juncture that the insert can by all
means also comprise two reagent vessels separated from one another,
and that different staining solutions can be used simultaneously by
way of these two reagent vessels. If a greater immersion volume
should be necessary, in that case both reagent vessels can be
simultaneously filled with identical staining solutions.
[0013] When the insert is used according to the present invention
to reduce the container volume, it is of further advantage if the
rack used for operation of the reduced reagent vessel comprises a
reduced number of receiving positions for object carriers,
specifically so that the rack together with the object carriers
fits into the reagent vessel. Concretely, the rack could be
equipped with three to eight, preferably five receiving positions
for object carriers, a coordination between the dimensions of the
reagent vessel and the arrangement of the object carriers being
necessary. With optimum coordination, material costs relevant to
the requisite staining solution can be very considerably
reduced.
[0014] The receiving positions of the rack (for receiving the
object carriers carrying the objects) can be arranged and designed
in such a way that the object carriers are held on end or
vertically and can be immersed, positioned accordingly, into the
reagent vessel. The object carriers are preferably arranged
parallel to one another so that the space requirement is thereby
optimized. It is advantageous in any event if, in accordance with
the utilization or reagent vessel that is concretely used,
correspondingly designed (and preferably exchangeable) racks are
available. These can be allocated to the transport device as
desired.
[0015] The container can be any desired processing station of the
apparatus, for example a conventional reagent station. It is also
conceivable for the container to be a heated reagent station whose
volume can similarly be reduced by means of an insert.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] There are various ways of advantageously embodying and
developing the teaching of the present invention. The reader is
referred, for that purpose, to the present specification, including
the explanation below of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the
invention with reference to the drawings. In conjunction with the
explanation of the preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention
with reference to the drawings, an explanation is also given of
generally preferred embodiments and developments of the teaching.
In the drawings:
[0017] FIG. 1 schematically depicts the general configuration of an
apparatus according to the present invention, using the example of
an automatic stainer;
[0018] FIG. 2 shows, in a schematic perspective view, an insert for
reducing the maximum capacity of the container that is used in the
automatic stainer of FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 3 shows, in a schematic perspective view, a container
of the apparatus of FIG. 1, the insert as shown in FIG. 2 being
inserted therein;
[0020] FIG. 4 shows, in perspective in a schematic side view, an
exemplary embodiment of a rack matching the insert and the reagent
vessel of the insert; and
[0021] FIG. 5 shows, in a schematic view, the container of FIG. 3
with an insert and inserted rack, only one object carrier being
held therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic view, an exemplary embodiment
of an apparatus according to the present invention for treating
cytological or histological specimens, this being concretely an
automatic stainer 1. Regarding the basic configuration of an
automatic stainer, the reader is referred to EP 0 849 582 A2.
[0023] Automatic stainer 1 comprises multiple processing stations
2, these being defined here by containers 3 for liquids or
reagents.
[0024] Also provided is a transport device 4 that moves objects
(not shown in the Figures) into and out of processing stations
2.
[0025] Transport device 4 comprises a robot arm 5 that is movable
in three dimensions and serves to position the objects as desired.
This robot arm 5 ensures that transport device 4 is as flexible as
possible, specifically in such a way that the objects can be
positioned as desired in three dimensions, i.e. concretely within
the apparatus.
[0026] It is further evident from FIG. 1 that robot arm 5 comprises
at its free end a gripper 6 for receiving the objects or an object
holder 7, object holder 7 being referred to hereinafter, for the
sake of simplicity, as a rack. The objects are delivered into
container 3 together with rack 7, and are also moved back out of
container 3 together with rack 7.
[0027] According to the present invention an insert 8, which fits
into container 3 and reduces the maximum capacity of container 3,
is provided. This insert 8 is depicted in isolation in FIG. 2. Rack
7, which carries object carriers 9 and serves for immersion into
container 7, is adapted in terms of its dimensions in accordance
with the remaining volume. A rack 7 of this kind is depicted in
isolation in FIG. 4.
[0028] FIGS. 2 and 3 together show that insert 8 is designed for
placement into container 3, insert 8 comprising a reduced reagent
vessel 10 and positioning means 11 for a secure fit into container
3. Positioning means 11 are dimensioned and designed in such a way
that reagent vessel 10 is positioned approximately centeredly in
container 3. This is very particularly evident from FIGS. 3 and
5.
[0029] FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 furthermore show clearly that positioning
means 11 are configured as flanges 13 adapted to inner wall 12 of
container 3, thus ensuring constrained positioning of insert 8 with
a centered orientation of reagent vessel 10.
[0030] Rack 7 shown in FIG. 4 is used for operation or loading of
the reduced reagent vessel 10, and for that purpose comprises a
reduced number of receiving positions 14 for object carriers 9. In
the depiction of FIG. 5, insert 8 with reagent vessel 10 and
positioning means 11 or flanges 13 is inserted into vessel 3. Rack
7 having a reduced number of receiving positions 14 is also
inserted or positioned; in the depiction selected for FIG. 5, only
one object carrier 9 is carried by rack 7. This promotes a simple
and clear illustration.
[0031] It is moreover evident from FIGS. 4 and 5 that receiving
positions 14 are arranged and designed in such a way that object
carriers 9 are held, and can be immersed into reagent vessel 10, on
end or vertically, as indicated in particular in FIG. 5.
[0032] Lastly, let it be noted that container 3 shown here can be
the container of a conventional reagent station but also container
3 of a heated reagent station. In any event, an effective reduction
is achieved in the volume of container 3 that serves to receive
reagents, specifically by the use according to the present
invention of an insert 8 having a corresponding reagent vessel
10.
[0033] Lastly, let it be noted that the exemplary embodiment
discussed above serves for discussion of the teaching claimed but
does not limit the latter to the exemplary embodiment.
PARTS LIST
[0034] 1 Automatic stainer
[0035] 2 Processing station, treatment station
[0036] 3 Container
[0037] 4 Transport device
[0038] 5 Robot arm
[0039] 6 Gripper
[0040] 7 Object holder/rack
[0041] 8 Insert
[0042] 9 Object carrier
[0043] 10 Reagent vessel
[0044] 11 Positioning means
[0045] 12 Inner wall (of container)
[0046] 13 Flange (of insert)
[0047] 14 Receiving position (in rack)
* * * * *